No. 2 Penn State is 12-0-0 on the season, is riding a 46 game-winning streak at home and has won 72 out its last 76 games. Against all odds, the Illini are going into Happy Valley tonight looking to upset the perennial powerhouse, and erase years of failure at the hands of the Nittany Lions.

“With a team that is second in the country, you could go on forever with a list of strengths that they have,” head coach Janet Rayfield said. “But what stands out is that they have a great goal scorer, a great goalkeeper and a solid athletic team from front to back.”

The Nittany Lions (4-0-0 Big Ten) are 6-0 against the Illini at home, and have dominated the series with an all-time record of 13-1-0.

This year might provide the best chance to change that as the No. 20 Illini (7-2-2) are off to their best ever start in conference play (3-0-0).

Last year, the Illini lost to then- No. 3 Penn State 2-0 in a game that was separated by only a goal until the 88th minute. The outcome was the same when the teams met again in the Big Ten tournament, as the Illini scored two goals to tie the game at two apiece, only to lose 3-2.

“In the early years, Penn State was just a better team,” Rayfield said. “Now, this team believes that it can play with any team in the country on any given day. There’s all these records and streaks out there, but really the challenge for us is if we can play to the level we’re capable of. Sometimes being the underdog allows you to play at that level, and that’s what we’re looking to do.”

Penn State senior All-American forward Tiffany Weimer was the difference in both games scoring four goals on her way to leading the nation in goals with 26 and finishing as the Hermann Trophy (Player of the Year) runner-up.

She is having another stellar year, having already scored 18 goals this year and is only six goals away from setting the All-time Big Ten record of goals scored (82).

“She’s a great goal scorer, and somebody who seems to impact every game that she steps on the field,” Rayfield said. “You have to devise a plan so we are constantly aware of where she is, because she picks the moment that you let her escape your mind, and punishes you for that.”

After Friday’s game, the Illini head to Minnesota to take on the Golden Gophers. Minnesota has surprised opponents with a 3-1-0 start in Big Ten play, and is coming off consecutive road shutouts against Wisconsin and Northwestern. The Illini are 5-3-0 all-time against Minnesota and have won three straight against the Golden Gophers.

“Their strength is their defense,” Rayfield said. “They have a great goalkeeper, they hang around and they find a way to win. They’re a team that has nothing to lose for quite a while that is now confident, and they’re a dangerous team to play on the road.”

Last weekend, the Illini came back to pull off a 2-1 road victory at Ohio State on freshman forward Charlotte Cooke’s golden goal in double overtime.

“It’s going to be a tough game this weekend, but I’m definitely looking forward to it,” Cooke said. “The goal last week has definitely made me more confident now, but the goal was a result of my teammates and not just me.”

The key for the team has been its stellar defense and an offense which has multiple scoring options. In Big Ten play, the Illini leads the league in goals per game and ranks second in shots and assists. Junior forward Eva Strickland leads the league in assists, and has put together a seven-game point streak.

“Our team is playing well and we’ve finally come to the point where we’re scoring goals and coming together,” Strickland said. “We’ve got our biggest game of the season coming up, as they’re one of our biggest rivals, and we know to win the Big Ten championhip, you have to go through Penn State.”

Strickland and the rest of the team will have to be at its best to defeat Penn State, if they hope to end the Nittany Lion’s streak of eight-straight Big Ten conference titles.

“It’s a long travel day and a lot of money to spend to go to Penn State to look for anything else but a win,” Rayfield said. “Not just because it is Penn State, but we go into every game looking for a win. The difference between first and eighth in the Big Ten could be a win and a tie in a road game, and every Big Ten weekend will define the outcome of the Big Ten title.”